Nine jurisdictions on fourteen dimensions, every figure sourced and dated. Holding an Estonian company costs €124 a year; holding a Dubai free zone company costs about €5,000. Verified August 2026.
Nothing is taxed until profit leaves the company, and that has no expiry
🇪🇪 Estonia
Only worth it if you will really live there — the licence renews at about €5,000 a year
🇦🇪 Dubai
Wyoming for simplicity, a Delaware corporation for venture money
🇺🇸 United States
Provided you accept renting a resident director at S$1,800–4,000 (about €1,220–2,720) a year
🇸🇬 Singapore
The only EU option here with no mandatory contact person
🇱🇹 Lithuania
€124
a year
🇪🇪 Estonia
The mandatory address and contact person, and nothing else
$100
to file
🇺🇸 Wyoming
No capital, no notary, no local director
24 h
typical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Filed online, and no card to collect first
0%
on retained profit
🇪🇪 Estonia
No expiry and no conditions attached
≈5%
after the refund
🇲🇹 Malta
Costs a second company, an audit and months of waiting
Nobody
to appoint
🇬🇧 UK · 🇱🇹 Lithuania
No director, no secretary, no contact person
S$1m
before GST
🇸🇬 Singapore
About €680,000, against €40,000 in Estonia
0%
and a visa
🇦🇪 Dubai
Qualifying free zone income, and no personal income tax
Jurisdiction
Entity
Minimum capital
State fee
Time to register
Fully remote?
Osaühing (OÜ)
€0.01, deferrable
€290 online
15 min to an hour, but the e-Residency card takes weeks
Yes — the card is collected in person once
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
Private limited company (Ltd)
£1
£100 (about €115) digital, £156 same-day
Usually within 24 hours
Yes, but every director must pass ECCTA identity verification
🇺🇸
United States
LLC (Delaware or Wyoming)
None
$110 in Delaware, $100 in Wyoming
Same day to a few days
Yes, fully — but an EIN without an SSN takes weeks
🇦🇪
Dubai
Free zone company (FZE or FZCO)
None in most free zones
AED 12,500–30,000 (about €3,130–7,500) to set up, depending on the zone
A few days to two weeks
Partly — the licence yes, but the visa, Emirates ID and bank usually need a visit
🇸🇬
Singapore
Private limited company (Pte Ltd)
S$1
S$315 (about €215) to ACRA — S$15 for the name, S$300 to register
Usually within a day or two
Yes, through a provider — but you cannot be the only director unless you are resident
🇱🇹
Lithuania
Uždaroji akcinė bendrovė (UAB)
€1,000, with €250 paid in before registration
About €58 to register electronically, plus about €22 to reserve the name
A few days once the capital account is funded
Yes, with a qualified EU e-signature — otherwise a notary or power of attorney
🇮🇪
Ireland
Private company limited by shares (LTD)
€1 in law, usually €100 issued
€50 to file online with the CRO
Usually five to ten working days
Yes — but you need an EEA-resident director or a Section 137 bond
🇲🇹
Malta
Private limited company (Ltd)
€1,165, with 20% — about €233 — paid up
About €245 to the Registry, depending on authorised capital
Usually two to five working days
Yes, through a provider — but banking almost always needs a visit
🇨🇾
Cyprus
Private company limited by shares (Ltd)
None in law, usually €1,000 nominal
€175 to the Registrar — €10 for the name, €165 to incorporate
Usually five to ten working days
Yes, through a provider — but banking normally needs a visit
🇱🇺
Luxembourg
Société à responsabilité limitée (SARL)
€12,000 fully subscribed — cash payment deferrable 12 months since 2 June 2026
Registry fees plus a notary at €1,000–2,500 for a standard SARL
Two to four weeks, including the business permit
Only partly — the notary and the business permit both expect real local substance
Jurisdiction
Tax on profit you keep
Tax on profit you take out
VAT and threshold
Market access
🇪🇪 Estonia
0%, for as long as you keep it
22/78 of the payout — 22% of the pre-tax pot
24%, register above €40,000
EU single market, an EU VAT number, OSS and IOSS
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
19–25% — the UK taxes profit whether you keep it or not
No withholding tax on dividends to non-residents
20%, register above £90,000 (about €104,000)
UK domestic market and GBP invoicing — no EU VAT number, no OSS/IOSS
🇺🇸
United States
Pass-through: the LLC pays nothing, you are taxed where you live
No US withholding if the LLC has no US trade or business
No VAT. State sales tax once you cross a nexus threshold
US market and USD rails — no EU VAT number, no OSS/IOSS
🇦🇪
Dubai
9% above AED 375,000 (about €94,000) — or 0% as a Qualifying Free Zone Person
Nothing on the way out, and no personal income tax
5%, register above AED 375,000 (about €94,000)
Gulf and Asia, no EU VAT number, no OSS/IOSS
🇸🇬
Singapore
17%, with 75% exempt on the first S$100,000 (about €68,000) for the first three years
Nothing — no withholding tax on dividends and no capital gains tax
GST 9%, register above S$1 million (about €680,000)
Asia and 27 free trade agreements — no EU VAT number, no OSS/IOSS
🇱🇹
Lithuania
17% — charged whether you distribute or not, with 0% for a new small company’s first two years
15% withholding on dividends, reduced or removed by EU rules and treaties
21%, register above €45,000
EU single market, an EU VAT number, OSS and IOSS
🇮🇪
Ireland
12.5% on trading profit, 25% on passive income — charged whether you distribute or not
25% withholding on dividends as a rule, widely reduced by treaty and EU rules
23%, register above €85,000 for goods or €42,500 for services
EU single market, an EU VAT number, OSS and IOSS
🇲🇹
Malta
35% headline — reduced to about 5% effective through the 6/7 shareholder refund
No withholding tax on dividends, but the refund runs through the shareholder
18%, register above €35,000 for goods or €30,000 for services
EU single market, an EU VAT number, OSS and IOSS
🇨🇾
Cyprus
15% from 1 January 2026, up from 12.5% — charged whether you distribute or not
No withholding tax on dividends to non-residents
19%, register above €15,600 — the lowest threshold here
EU single market, an EU VAT number, OSS and IOSS
🇱🇺
Luxembourg
14% up to €175,000 and 16% above €200,000 — about 23.87% all in, in Luxembourg City
15% withholding on dividends as a rule, widely reduced by treaty and EU rules
17% — the lowest standard rate in the EU — register above €50,000
EU single market, an EU VAT number, OSS and IOSS
Jurisdiction
Mandatory local roles
Audit
Annual filings
Banking as a non-resident
Year-2 cost
🇪🇪 Estonia
Legal address and contact person, both FIU-licensed
Not at founder scale
One annual report; monthly returns with payroll or VAT
EU IBAN through Estonian banks, or Wise and Revolut
From €124
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
None — but a UK registered office and a registered email address are required
Not at founder scale
Accounts and a confirmation statement (£50 (about €60)) at Companies House, CT600 at HMRC
High-street banks rarely onboard non-residents; Wise, Revolut Business and Airwallex do
£50 (about €60) to Companies House, plus registered office and accounting
🇺🇸
United States
A registered agent in the state, from about $100 a year
No
Form 5472 and a pro-forma 1120 every year, plus Delaware’s $300 franchise tax or Wyoming’s $60 report
Mercury, Relay and Wise onboard remotely; traditional banks want you in a branch
$300 in Delaware or $60 in Wyoming, plus the agent and the 5472 filing
🇦🇪
Dubai
A free zone licence and a flexi-desk or office in the zone
Yes, if you claim the 0% free zone rate
Corporate tax registration and return, audited accounts for QFZP status, licence renewal every year
Emirates NBD, Mashreq and others — but signatories are usually verified in person
AED 18,500–28,000 (about €4,630–7,000) in IFZA or Meydan, AED 32,000–42,000 in DMCC or JAFZA
🇸🇬
Singapore
A resident director and a company secretary, plus a Singapore registered office
No, small companies are exempt
Annual return to ACRA with a S$60 (about €40) fee, Form C-S or C to IRAS, and the secretary’s filings
DBS, OCBC and UOB often want a visit; Aspire and Airwallex onboard remotely
S$1,800–4,000 (about €1,220–2,720) for the nominee director, S$300–600 for the secretary, S$60 to ACRA
🇱🇹
Lithuania
None, but you need a registered office address in Lithuania
Not at founder scale
Annual financial statements to the Register of Legal Entities, plus monthly tax returns
Strong fintech options — Revolut is licensed there — but traditional banks are cautious
Just accounting and the registered office — no mandatory contact person
🇮🇪
Ireland
An EEA-resident director or a bond, a company secretary, and a registered office in Ireland
Not at founder scale
Annual return and financial statements to the CRO, plus a corporation tax return to Revenue
Irish banks are slow with non-residents; Revolut Business gives an Irish IBAN
The bond amortised, the company secretary, the registered office and accounting
🇲🇹
Malta
A director and a company secretary, plus a registered office in Malta
Yes, for practical purposes
Audited financial statements, an annual return, a tax return and the refund claim
The hardest in this comparison — Maltese banks are heavily de-risked
The audit, the company secretary, the registered office and the annual return
🇨🇾
Cyprus
A director, a company secretary and a registered office in Cyprus
Yes, though a review report is allowed below €300,000 of turnover
Audited financial statements, an annual return and a tax return
Slow and document-heavy, though easier than Malta
The audit or review, the secretary, the registered office and accounting — the €350 annual levy was abolished in 2024
🇱🇺
Luxembourg
A business permit with a qualified manager, and premises in Luxembourg
Not at founder scale
Annual accounts to the RCS, eCDF filings and a corporate tax return
Private-banking oriented, slow and expensive for small companies
Accounting, the registered premises, the permit upkeep and the domiciliation agent
🇪🇪 Estonia
€124
Licensed address and contact person
🇱🇹 Lithuania
€150
Registered office only — no contact person required
🇺🇸 United States
$210 · ≈€193
Wyoming: $60 annual report plus a registered agent
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
£200 · ≈€230
£50 confirmation statement plus a registered office
🇮🇪 Ireland
€1,350
Section 137 bond amortised, secretary, registered office
🇸🇬 Singapore
S$2,160 · ≈€1,469
Nominee resident director, secretary, ACRA return
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
€1,500
Domiciliation with premises, required by the business permit
🇨🇾 Cyprus
€1,550
Audit or review, secretary, registered office
🇲🇹 Malta
€2,300
Audit, secretary, registered office, annual return
🇦🇪 Dubai
AED 20,000 · ≈€5,000
Licence renewal and health insurance — forty times Estonia
Converted at S$1 = €0.68, £1 = €1.15, AED 1 = €0.25 and US$1 = €0.92 — our own quoted rates, which are inputs in the model, not market rates of the day. Provider-priced items — audit, secretary, nominee director, domiciliation — are market estimates and are named as such in the model.
Four places where another jurisdiction on this page is simply the better answer.
0% on qualifying income and no personal income tax. Estonia cannot match that on distributed profit.
US customers, dollar rails and a tax bill that depends only on where you live.
About 5% after the 6/7 refund — lower than anything Estonia charges on the way out.
No mandatory contact person, so the annual floor is lower than Estonia’s.
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
On a €100,000 profit taken out in full, the tax is close either way. Leave it in the company and Estonia charges nothing while the UK still charges.
See the comparison →
🇺🇸
United States
On a €100,000 profit an Estonian OÜ pays nothing until you distribute. A US LLC pays nothing either — but you personally pay, at your own country’s rate, in the year it is earned.
See the comparison →
🇦🇪
Dubai
Dubai’s 0% is real but conditional and costs AED 18,500–28,000 (about €4,630–7,000) a year to hold. Estonia’s 0% on retained profit costs from €124 a year and has no conditions at all.
See the comparison →
🇸🇬
Singapore
Singapore’s nominee director costs S$1,800–4,000 (about €1,220–2,720) a year before you earn anything. Estonia’s mandatory address and contact person start at €124 — and there is no director to rent.
See the comparison →
🇱🇹
Lithuania
Lithuania gives a new small company 0% for two years, then 17% on everything. Estonia gives 0% on retained profit forever, and charges only when money leaves.
See the comparison →
🇮🇪
Ireland
Ireland taxes trading profit at 12.5% as it is earned. Estonia taxes it at 0% until you take it out, then 22/78. Reinvest and Estonia wins; distribute every year and Ireland is cheaper.
See the comparison →
🇲🇹
Malta
Malta’s 5% effective rate beats Estonia’s 22% on distribution. It costs a holding company, an audit every year, and cash tied up until the refund arrives.
See the comparison →
🇨🇾
Cyprus
Cyprus now charges 15% as profit is earned, not 12.5% as most pages still claim. Estonia charges 0% until profit leaves, then 22% of the pre-tax pot.
See the comparison →
🇱🇺
Luxembourg
Luxembourg’s aggregate rate in the capital is about 23.87%, not the 14% on the headline. Estonia charges 0% on retained profit and 22% of the pre-tax pot when you distribute.
See the comparison →
Every figure on this page comes from the registry, tax authority or statute of the jurisdiction it describes, and each pairwise page lists its own sources. Cost comparisons are computed in our own model rather than quoted from third parties, and provider-priced items — audit, company secretary, nominee director, domiciliation — are marked as market estimates rather than presented as fixed prices.
We check these numbers quarterly, and it matters here more than usual. At the time of writing, most comparison pages in this field still quote £12 for a UK incorporation — it has been £100 since July 2026 — and 12.5% for Cyprus, which became 15% on 1 January 2026. Where our number differs from the one you saw elsewhere, this is usually why.
Nothing here is tax advice. Every figure describes the company; what you personally owe depends on where you are tax resident.
Figures verified
21 August 2026
1-3 days
€60
+ €290 state fee
1
5-minute application on Enty
2
We file directly with the Estonian registry
3
Company registered!
1-3 days
Plan to get an e-Residency card?
Buy incorporation now and get €150 off
We lead you through the whole process
14 days
Fastest formation with a notary on the market
€1,000
+ €290 state fee
1
10-minute application on Enty
2
20–30 min video call — identity check and notarisation, fully online
3
We file directly with the Estonian registry
4
Company registered!
14 days
Which country is cheapest to register a company in?
Wyoming at $100 and the UK at £100 are the cheapest to file. Estonia charges €290. But registration is a one-off rounding error — what separates these jurisdictions is the renewal, where the range runs from €124 to about €5,000 a year.
Which is cheapest to keep?
Estonia, at €124 a year for the mandatory address and contact person, with Lithuania just behind at about €150 because it requires no contact person at all. Accounting is extra everywhere.
Where can I incorporate without travelling anywhere?
The UK, the US, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and Singapore can all be filed remotely. Dubai will license a company remotely but the visa, the Emirates ID and the bank account expect you in the country. Luxembourg expects real premises.
Which countries make me appoint someone locally?
Singapore requires a resident director and a company secretary. Ireland requires an EEA-resident director or a Section 137 bond. Malta and Cyprus require a company secretary. Estonia requires a licensed contact person. The UK and Lithuania require nobody.
Do I pay tax twice if my company is abroad?
Possibly, and it depends on you rather than on the company. Corporate tax is paid where the company is; what you owe personally on what you take out is decided by your own country of tax residence, and a treaty usually decides which one gives credit.
Which is best for selling to EU consumers?
Any EU jurisdiction here, because you get an EU VAT number with OSS and IOSS. On rate alone Luxembourg is best at 17%, then Malta at 18% and Cyprus at 19%. A UK, US, Singapore or UAE company has no EU VAT number at all.
Will a foreign company let me stop paying tax at home?
No. Registering a company elsewhere does not move your own tax residency, and most countries tax their residents on foreign dividends. The jurisdictions on this page change what the company pays, not what you pay.
Why does Estonia appear in every row?
Because we build Estonian companies, and this page exists to show where that is the right answer and where it is not. Four of the nine jurisdictions beat Estonia on something specific, and each of those pages says so.